Boys and Girls Club of greater Salem: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 10:19, 23 October 2009

Started in 1869 as the Salem Fraternity for Boys, Salem is home to the oldest boys club in Massachusetts and the second oldest in the nation. It was founded to serve the youth of the Salem and to offer a "safe place to go". Salem's club joined the formally federated Boston Club in 1906. In 1990 the word "girls" was added to the name of the national organization making it the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Salem. They celebrated their 139th year in 2007.
Some of the local club's alumni are former Mayor and Judge Samuel Zoll, basketball professional Rick Brunson and former General Electric CEO Jack Welch. Welch has been a financial supporter as well.
After a few years of hard financial times in the mid 1990's and a brief closing, the club turned itself around in 1996 under the leadership of Stephen O'Grady. Three years later, he was killed in a motor vehicle accident. The club has recovered from the loss and continues to be a thriving club, helping the youth of Salem by offering activities and after-school programs and tutoring. In 2000, the Forest River baseball field was dedicated and renamed the Stephen M. O'Grady Field.

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 [http://www.bgcgs.org/ Boys and Girls Club of Greater Salem] Club website
+Vertical File in Salem Collection - '''Boys and Girls Club'''
 "Boys and Girls Club back from the brink" ''Salem Evening News'', Dec. 5, 1996. p.C3